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Diary Writing Perspectives

The document presents a magazine article featuring four individuals discussing their experiences with diary writing. Each person shares their unique perspective on the practice, including its benefits, challenges, and personal significance. The article concludes with a set of questions related to the content, prompting readers to identify which individual corresponds to specific statements about diary writing.

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Walied Mahjoub Kairi
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28 views2 pages

Diary Writing Perspectives

The document presents a magazine article featuring four individuals discussing their experiences with diary writing. Each person shares their unique perspective on the practice, including its benefits, challenges, and personal significance. The article concludes with a set of questions related to the content, prompting readers to identify which individual corresponds to specific statements about diary writing.

Uploaded by

Walied Mahjoub Kairi
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

IGCSE English as a Second Language (0510/0511)

Component 2 (Reading and Writing)

_________________________________________________________________________________

Exercise 2

Read the following magazine article about four people who write a diary. Then answer questions a–f below.
Keeping a diary
Four young people share their thoughts on diaries
A Ji-hu Yoon
I started keeping a diary when I was 8 years old, and have done it more or less continuously for almost ten years
now. The first few entries were all about my first ever trip abroad – I went to New York with my family and
remember that there was so much to take in, so many new experiences while we were there. My dad suggested that
I write it all down each evening so that I wouldn’t forget any of it – and I’m really glad I did! These days I try to spend
around half an hour on my diary each evening, writing about the day, but also looking back over what I’ve written
previously. Sometimes that can be quite amusing, and other times I can’t quite believe what I did or said – like the
names I called my younger brother when I caught him trying to read my diary a few years ago. After that, I used to
keep my diary in a very safe place, though I’m sure my brother wouldn’t be all that interested in reading it anymore.

B Hanan Bayraktar
I’ve always got a diary with me – a notebook and pen in my bag, or sometimes just my smartphone. It means that
when there’s something I want to note down, I don’t have to worry about remembering it until later. That suits me
much better than having a fixed time for diary writing each day – though I know some people say that’s the best way
to keep it up. I’ve always loved reading other people’s diaries – famous actors or politicians, even. And there are two
or three blogs that I look at quite regularly, though I’ve never been tempted to write one myself. I think that as soon
as you know you’ve got an audience, it’s very hard to avoid adding extra details, or changing bits here and there to
make something sound more interesting or more shocking. It’s funny because I’m quite happy to read all about
someone else’s private life, but if it was the other way round, I’d be really uncomfortable about it.

C Ryan Earl
I’ve just started writing a diary again after a gap of a couple of years – I stopped when my schoolwork was taking up
more and more of my time, and only recently realised I missed it. I think that putting everything down on paper gives
you a chance to reflect on what’s been going on, and to understand your thoughts and feelings. Sometimes when I
look back at a page I can tell instantly how I was feeling that day – from the size and shape of my writing, or from
how neat and tidy it looks. And sometimes I’m quite taken aback by the detail of what I’ve written – who I met, who
I talked to, what I ate even. If I hadn’t written it all down, I would never remember all of these details – it’s a great
way of keeping a record of events for the future, even if none of it is all that remarkable.

D Patience Orakpo
I’ve always loved writing, and would love to write a novel in the future – I have all sorts of stories in my head. Some
of them are based on real-life events, and when I describe them in my diary, I often add a note about an idea I’ve
got, or a possible character. Then I’ve got a list on another page where I record these, so I don’t forget them. I always
write by hand – I think using a computer makes the process seem so much more business-like, and less personal. But
I do try to keep my diary writing to a maximum of an hour a day – one of my teachers told me that if you’re not
careful, you start living for your diary, rather than the other way round. There’s some truth in that – my diary is one
of my most precious possessions, and so it’s always in a safe place in my bedroom. It’s not that I’m all that bothered
about someone else reading it, but I’d be lost without it!
Now answer questions a–h. For each question choose from the people A–D above.

Which person
a sees diary writing as a form of keeping a list?

Person A  Person B  Person C  Person D 


b mentions an event that caused them to begin diary writing?

Person A  Person B  Person C  Person D 


c feels self-conscious if they consider other people reading their diary?

Person A  Person B  Person C  Person D 


d thinks that diary writing helps them to make sense of life?

Person A  Person B  Person C  Person D 


e explains the importance of having a time limit on diary writing?

Person A  Person B  Person C  Person D 


f worries about where to keep their diary?

Person A  Person B  Person C  Person D 


g believes that people who keep online diaries are less honest?

Person A  Person B  Person C  Person D 


h admits to feeling shocked by a past diary entry?

Person A  Person B  Person C  Person D 


[Total marks: 8]

Common questions

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Ryan Earl highlights that his diary serves as a medium for reflection and understanding his thoughts and feelings. He points out the nostalgic aspect by explaining how rereading entries reveals his emotions through handwriting's size and neatness. This detail-oriented nature of his entries evokes surprise at the vividness of his recorded experiences, including mundane details like food or conversations, which he might have otherwise forgotten. This indicates he values diaries not only for their emotional insight but also as a detailed record of his life's moments .

Each individual's motivation shapes their approach to journaling, reflecting personal inclinations towards preserving history. Ji-hu Yoon's aim to remember significant experiences encourages regular, reflective entries that chronicle personal growth. Hanan Bayraktar's motivation to document spur-of-the-moment thoughts leads to a flexible, spontaneous journaling style. Ryan Earl's desire for introspection prompts detailed entries with emotional annotations, while Patience Orakpo uses her journal to nurture creative ideas, emphasizing the artistic aspect. These methods reveal diverse preferences, where journaling serves varied purposes from emotional reflection to creative exploration, tailored to fit individual lifestyles and narratives .

Hanan Bayraktar prefers a spontaneous approach to diary writing by keeping a notebook or smartphone on hand, allowing her to jot down notes whenever necessary, rather than adhering to a set daily routine. She believes this flexibility suits her lifestyle better, contrary to the fixed times some people recommend. Hanan highlights she enjoys reading other people's diaries but has never wanted to write for an audience, suggesting she sees personal writing as a private activity not influenced by the perception or expectation of others .

Patience Orakpo views diary writing as both a personal and creative exercise. Personally, she treasures her diary for its intimate nature, safeguarding it closely while maintaining that she's not particularly concerned about others reading it. Creatively, she uses her diary as a repository for novel ideas inspired by real-life events, planning to use these ideas for future writing projects. She insists on writing by hand to maintain the personal connection, viewing digital entries as business-like. Orakpo sets a time limit on her entries to prevent her life from becoming solely the subject of her writing, reflecting awareness of maintaining balance between documenting life and living it .

The four individuals, Ji-hu Yoon, Hanan Bayraktar, Ryan Earl, and Patience Orakpo, demonstrate varying attitudes towards privacy in diary writing. Ji-hu Yoon initially hid his diary from his brother, valuing privacy in his records. Hanan Bayraktar reflects apprehension about sharing her private thoughts publicly, preferring the confidentiality of personal notes over blogs. Ryan Earl does not directly mention privacy concerns, focusing instead on the emotional benefits and detailed chronicling. In contrast, Patience Orakpo, while acknowledging her diary's value, is less concerned with privacy intrusions, seeing more utility in creative expression .

Each writer's experience suggests that diaries are effective for emotional reflection, albeit in different ways. Ji-hu Yoon's long-term writing habit allows him to reflect on how his emotions and perspectives change over time. Ryan Earl indicates that diary writing helps him recognize his emotions and thought patterns, as his handwriting correlates with his feelings. Patience Orakpo uses her diary for creative output, indirectly suggesting emotional processing through the act of writing. Meanwhile, Hanan Bayraktar's preference for personal over public writing implies she finds emotional solace in private reflection without the pressure of an audience, reinforcing diaries as a tool for introspective understanding .

The writers differ in their views on a potential diary audience, highlighting varied perceptions of privacy and authenticity. Hanan Bayraktar values privacy, avoiding public diaries due to concerns about altering details for an audience. Ji-hu Yoon initially hid his diary from his brother, indicating a need for privacy despite now seeing it as less of a concern. Ryan Earl does not explicitly mention an audience, focusing on personal reflection. Patience Orakpo appears less concerned about others reading her writings, suggesting comfort with external perceptions. These differences suggest diverse comfort levels with exposure, impacting the authenticity of content recorded for personal reflection versus potential sharing .

The shared challenge among the writers is balancing time for diary writing with other life responsibilities, as seen with Ryan Earl's hiatus due to schoolwork and Patience Orakpo's time limit to avoid living for her diary. Benefits include enhanced personal insight and reflection on thoughts and feelings, as described by Ji-hu Yoon and Ryan Earl. Hanan Bayraktar highlights the ability to capture spontaneous thoughts, illustrating adaptability. These reflections suggest broader themes of personal growth and self-awareness, where diaries facilitate a space for conscious processing of experiences and personal development, balancing introspection with active participation in life .

Diaries serve both as a practical and emotional outlet according to the four individuals. Practically, Ji-hu Yoon uses it to remember trips and events, Hanan Bayraktar notes down thoughts anytime, making it a convenient record keeping. Ryan Earl notes the practicality of preserving detailed memories, while Patience Orakpo integrates creative ideas and notes for storytelling. Emotionally, Ji-hu and Ryan use their diaries for self-reflection and emotional understanding, while Patience views it as a precious personal item integral to her life's narrative. Their accounts show diaries bridge the need for tangible record-keeping with reflective emotional processing .

Ji-hu Yoon explains that he started keeping a diary at the age of eight and has continued doing so nearly every day for almost a decade. Initially, it was a way to remember his first trip abroad to New York, as suggested by his dad. Over the years, writing daily entries became a regular practice, helping him to reflect on his experiences. He finds looking back at past entries amusing at times, realizing the changes in his perspectives and life. The diary serves as a way to remember details and events that might otherwise be forgotten .

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